Clarity
by EzraFitzgerald
Summary: Ezra and Aria have been through so much, but they've been together for so long that it hardly phases them. BUT what happens when the law is involved? (First person - narrated by Ezra)


I honestly had no idea how I could breathe without Aria Montgomery. There were so many factors that are now missing in my life. I closed my eyes, and could remember every little thing that I once had with her. The way her Green-Hazel eyes lit up when she smiled; Her perfect bleach white teeth; The way her raven hair fell over fair pale skin, and covered her eyes; The way our fingers intertwined when we held hands; The way she laughed when I picked her up and carried her around my small, one room apartment; The way I could easily wrap my arms around her tiny, fragile frame; The way our lips interlaced as if they were puzzle pieces, being placed in their corresponding spots in a jigsaw puzzle; The way she could make my heart melt just by looking at me from across the room. I couldn't stand being away from her for so long, which is why I quit my teaching job at Rosewood High School in the first place. I quit so that I could be with the love of my life. So that Aria Montgomery could be happy. That's all I've ever wanted. For Aria to be happy. Aria and I were together for a little over a year, and then her senior year in high school arrived.

I know what you're going to say. "Ezra Fitz, you're a pedophile! You're only using this poor girl for your own pleasure! Damn you to hell, young man!" I enjoy hearing your opinion, but you're completely wrong. I knew that it's illegal for a teacher to have a relationship with their student. That's the whole reason why I quit my job. I started working as a college professor, teaching english. I taught at Hollis college for a few months before Aria and I told her parents that we were in a relationship, and that I truly love their daughter. Two months after we told Aria's parents about our relationship, I had received paperwork for a job transfer, halfway across the United States. I knew it had to be the work of Aria's father, Byron Montgomery, since he also taught in the english department of Hollis College. I had talked to the Dean and found out that my job transfer was recommended by none other than Byron Montgomery. I was soon fired from Hollis college, because they "no longer taught my specific class". I started working as a Ghostwriter for the local newspaper, but I wasn't earning enough money to pay the rent for my apartment. I quit my job as a Ghostwriter, and became a substitute teacher. My first substitute teaching job just so happened to be at Rosewood High School. Aria and I decided that if I was going to be teaching at the school she was going to, we couldn't be in a relationship... Well, she decided, and I sat there and told her I'd do anything to make her happy.

This all leads to where I am today. Three weeks after we broke up, someone had sent pictures of Aria and I to the Principal, which led to Police involvement. Needless to say, I was quickly removed from the school, ushered into a police car, and thrown into a jail cell. All I know is that as soon as I get out of this jail cell, I'm going to get Aria back, no matter what the cost.

I was told I will get early release for good behavior. All I do every day is write in this journal, twenty-four seven. Writing has always been a passion of mine, but it's nothing compared to staring into Aria's eyes for long periods of time, or waking up to her by my side. I no longer wake up to her small arms draped across my chest. Instead I wake up to the sound of other men yelling at the guards, or someone's toilet flushing in a nearby cell. I have no cellmate here. I can't imagine the pain Aria is going through, believing that she's the reason that I'm in this cell. It's my own fault. I know the mistakes that I've made, but those mistakes were made out of love, and trust. I just can't understand how we ended up here. Aria and I were so careful, only going to Philly, because there were less people that knew us there. We spent our weekends in my apartment, drinking coffee and watching old movies together on my old, leather, couch. I can't believe it ended the way it did.

I still remember the day we met as if it was yesterday. It was labor day, 2011. I was starting my first teaching job the next day, and was as nervous as always, so I went to Hollis Bar and Grille. I had sat down at the bar, and ordered a glass of whiskey. About ten minutes later Aria had walked in, and sat a few seats away from me at the bar.

"Can I get a cheeseburger, please?" Aria asked the bartender.

"You got it," He says, not even looking up from the stove. Aria looked over at something on the cork board that resided on the wall across from the bar.

I turned my head, noticing that Aria was a bit distraught. "You alright down there?" I asked, causing Aria to turn her head, and look at me. I automatically thought she was beautiful.

"I'm a bit jet lagged, I just got back from Europe." Aria replied, looking as if she was about to cry.

"Where in Europe?" I asked, looking up from my book, and turning to face Aria.

"Iceland." Aria replied, looking into my ice blue eyes. She looked at me for a while, but then quickly looked down at her hands.

"I spent some time in Reykjavik, before I went to Amsterdam. It's a great city." I said, making eye contact with Aria as I spoke. When I finished speaking, I looked back down at my book, feeling as if I was staring, and she was uncomfortable with it.

"So, do you go to Hollis?" She asked, her voice full of wonder.

"Just Graduated." I replied, nodding, "I'm going to start my first teaching job." I continued, smiling at her.

"I think I'd like to teach." She said, smiling at me. Happiness by The Fray begins to play throughout the bar. "God, I love this song." Aria says, looking up at the ceiling from her hands.

"B26." I replied, which caused Aria to look at me, and smile. Happiness was my favorite song by The Fray at the time. I had no idea of the impact it would have on me later on. "What's your major?" I asked. She looked as if she was a Sophomore in college. I wanted to know more about her, and I needed to know right away.

Aria begins to stutter, as if she really hadn't thought about it. "Well, I-Uh, I'm leaning towards English." She said, looking down at her hands again for a short period of time..

"Really? That's what I'm teaching." I said, smiling at her. We sat there, smiling at eachother for a few seconds. I wanted to know how I had never seen her before, other than the fact that she studied abroad for a year.

"Oh, and I write, too. So far, it's mostly personal. Just for me." She says, staring at me, and smiling. I couldn't believe I had so much in common with her, and yet I had never seen her before.

"I'm impressed," I said, a boyish grin engraved into my face.

"Why?" Aria asked, me a questioning look.

"Well," I said, taking my things and sliding them over so that Aria and I were sitting right next to each other, and not two bar stools away. "I tried writing." I continued. "I didn't get very far. You're lucky. If you're writing for yourself, it's pure passion." I said, licking my lips, and spinning my nearly empty glass of whiskey. "Maybe you'd let me read something of yours?" I asked, staring into her green-hazel orbs.

"Yeah, you really want to?" She asks, giving me a questioning look. I didn't think that she'd expect a total stranger to ask about reading her writing, but I did anyways. I wanted to know as much about her before either of us had to leave.

"Yeah." I said, a chuckle laced in my voice. "You're smart, you've traveled, you have a great taste in music. I'd like to know more about you." I said, licking my lips, and looking at her, taking in all the little details. I just wanted to lean over and kiss her right then and there, but I felt as if I'd be coming off too strong, and I didn't want her to think I was the kind of man to do that.

"Yeah, I'd like to know more about you, too." Aria said, smiling. "I'm Aria, by the way." She paused for a moment, and held her hand out. "Aria Montgomery." I was ecstatic to know that she felt the same way, and I honestly couldn't help but smiling even more than I was before.

"Ezra," I said, placing my hand in hers. "Ezra Fitz." We shook hands, and Aria's cheeseburger was brought out from the kitchen.

"Thank You." She said to the bartender. We talked for another hour, until Aria finished her cheeseburger.

"Will you excuse me? I have to go to the bathroom." She said, turning to face me.

"Can I come with you?" I asked, staring her in the eyes. Aria grabbed my hand, and pulled me into the girls bathroom. Our 'date' ended with a heated make out session in the ladies room.

The next day I had walked into my new classroom, as the bell rang, and I wrote my name on the chalkboard. ' '. I placed the chalk on my desk, and picked up my coffee mug. I took a deep breath in, and looked around the room. I stopped at one face in particular. Aria.

"Holy Crap." I said, nearly dropping my coffee mug. Everyone turned, and looked directly at Aria, who seemed to be writing in her journal. She looked up at me, and looked as confused and afraid as I was. Her phone rang, and everyone looked back to the front of the classroom.

"Sorry," She said, quickly opening her Motorola Razr, and reading the text message she had received.

I quickly cleared my throat, and began to speak. "Uh, I'm, uh, Mr. Fitz. Your new english teacher." I said, which caused Aria to look up from her phone with a frightened look on her face. The rest of class went as scheduled, and no one mentioned anything about first period all day.

At the end of the day, once everyone had left, Aria arrived in my classroom doorway. I quickly looked up from my desk, and she closed the classroom door. "You told me you went to Hollis." I said, dread laced in my voice.

"No," She quickly replied. "No, I said I was thinking about majoring in english." She said, taking a few steps closer to my desk. "A-and that's true!" she stuttered, walking closer with every word that escaped from her lips.

I looked up at Aria, remorse seeping through my voice as I spoke. "Look," I said, placing my hand on the edge of my desk. "I think you're amazing, Aria. When I first met you, I thought, 'who is this girl?'" I looked down at my hand, and Aria took a step closer. She was now standing only inches away from me. She placed her hand on top of mine, and I had the same feelings in my gut that I had the night before.

"I'm still that girl, okay? Nothing's changed." She said, trying to look me in the eyes. I knew that if I looked at her, I would have the same urges to kiss her that I did last night, and I can't let that happen again.

"Yes, Yes it has!" I said, looking her. I tried my best to not make eye contact. "I'm your teacher." I said, making eye contact.

"I know it's not just me." She said, holding my hand. "I mean, you feel like this is right for us too." And it did feel right to be with her. I felt complete. I knew that it was wrong to be with her. I knew we weren't supposed to be together.

"But it's not right." I said, not mentioning that I did feel the same way about her. I pulled my hand away from hers, and sighed. "We just can't." I said, walking out of the room, and leaving Aria in the classroom by herself .

We wound up meeting at the end of the week, at a funeral for a close friend of Aria's. "Was she a friend of yours?" I asked, shoving my hands in my pockets. I really needed to talk to her, since we hadn't spoke to each other all week.

"Do you care?" She asked, turning to face me with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know what I feel worse about. Having to stay away from you, or being a jerk about it." I said, letting my feelings flow right in front of her. This was something I never did. I never spoke about how I felt with anyone before Aria. Aria was special, and I needed her back in my life.

"Yeah, she was one of my best friends." Aria said, answering my first question. She looked as if tears would roll down her cheeks at any second.

"I'm sorry." I said, just wanting to pull her into my chest, and hold her there. It was true. I was sorry. Sorry for the fact that she lost one of her best friends, sorry for the fact that I left her the way I did, sorry for not giving us a chance. I needed her, and at the moment it seemed as if she needed me, too.

"For Alison, or for being a jerk?" she asked, as I stepped closer to her.

"Both." I said, gazing into her green-hazel orbs once more.

"Well, thank you." She said, letting a tear escape, and roll down her cheek. "I would never want to do anything that would get you in trouble." She said, looking up at me. I quickly used my thumb to wipe away the lone tear that rolled down her face. She placed her hand on my fore arm, and leaned in towards my face. She quickly placed her lips against my cheek. Aria slowly pulled her lips away from my cheek, and whispered, "Goodbye, Ezra." She started to walk away, but I didn't want her to leave yet. I quickly spun around, and pulled her close to me as she was about to walk down the stairs of the church, towards Ali's coffin. I pressed my lips against hers, much like she had pressed hers against mine on the day we met. We continued to kiss until she finally broke away from it, and started to continue down the stairs.

We wound up breaking up the same way over a year later, because we knew we couldn't be together if I was teaching. One thing led to another, and someone had taken pictures of Aria and I asleep in my bed. I don't know when, or how, but someone had taken photographs, and sent them to the principal. He then called the police, and that was when I was escorted to the police station, and thrown into my own private cell. I can't stand being in here, but I do not regret being with Aria. My life with her this past year has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can't stand to be without her, and these past three months without her have been devastating. I can't breathe without seeing her face the minute I wake up. I know, I sound desperate, but I believe Aria is my soulmate. No, I know that Aria is my soulmate, and I am making this vow now. I will get Aria back, even if it's the last thing I ever do.

_**Authors Note: I just wnated to thank everyone for their patience! ADG may or may not be on Hiatis at the moment. I'm not positive about it yet. Right now "Clarity" and "Our Secret" are my main priority. If you want to read "Our Secret" the Author is " ". That's where all the collaberations will be posted! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of "Clarity"! It may just be a One Shot, but if i get enough reviews, I'll post more chapters! Thank You all, so much!**_

_**-Ezra**_


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